B-57B
| This page is about the American jet bomber B-57B. For other versions, see Canberra (Family). |
Contents
Description
The B-57B Canberra is a rank V American jet bomber with a battle rating of 8.3 (AB/RB) and 8.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.47 "Big Guns".
Placed in the bomber line within the US tech tree, the Martin B-57B jet bomber is a licensed-built version of the famous English Electric British aircraft that leads away from the standard gameplay found on most US heavy bombers before it. Placed well within Rank V after its predecessor, the B-57A, the B-57B focuses more on low level ground attack by comparison to its predecessors and can carry large amounts of offensive external weaponry.
B-57A players will rejoice upon unlocking the B-57B, as it is an improvement in almost every way, with actual armament, better turn time, better payloads (including rockets).
Whilst a lone B-57B out in the open is an easy target for intercepting aircraft and is no match for the likes of the MiG-15 or Sabre in combat, communication and coordination with teammates will allow pilots of this aircraft to effectively strike targets of strategic importance with precision and to devastating effect. Equally organizing squads paired with escorting fighters who can work in conjunction with B-57s or even a whole wing of attack aircraft can have a massive impact on top tier games.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 762 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 918 | 892 | 12192 | 56.2 | 57.4 | 22.7 | 21.2 | 1,050 |
| Upgraded | 996 | 963 | 53.9 | 55.0 | 32.8 | 28.5 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 990 | 450 | 498 | 469 | 320 | ~7 | ~3 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 561 | < 523 | < 510 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Empty mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||||
| Wright J65-W-5 | 2 | 13,350 kg | 226 kg/m2 | |||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | ||||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 15m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 50m fuel | ||
| 1,260 kg | Axial-flow turbojet | 15,402 kg | 16,066 kg | 17,394 kg | 19,386 kg | 20,050 kg | 25,854 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%) | |||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 15m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 50m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 3,265 kgf | N/A | 0.42 | 0.41 | 0.38 | 0.34 | 0.33 | 0.25 |
| Optimal | 3,265 kgf (0 km/h) |
N/A | 0.42 | 0.41 | 0.38 | 0.34 | 0.33 | 0.25 |
Survivability and armour
- No armour plating
- 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured glass windscreen
- Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
- Self-sealing fuel tanks (3 in central fuselage, 1 in each wing)
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) |
 |
 |
|
|
Offensive armament
The B-57B is armed with:
- 8 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (300 rpg = 2,400 total)
Suspended armament
The B-57B can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 21 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (5,250 lb total)
- 9 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (4,500 lb total)
- 13 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (6,500 lb total)
- 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (4,000 lb total)
- 8 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (8,000 lb total)
- 16 x HVAR rockets + 21 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (5,250 lb total)
- 8 x HVAR rockets + 13 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (6,500 lb total)
- 16 x HVAR rockets + 9 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (4,500 lb total)
- 16 x HVAR rockets + 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (4,000 lb total)
- 8 x HVAR rockets + 8 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (8,000 lb total)
- 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
- 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 8 x HVAR rockets
Usage in battles
Unlike the B-57A model before it, the B-57B included numerous improvements and modifications to the airframe and armament that allow it to play a much more aggressive and offensive role in the battle. Able to mount up to 16 x 127 mm HVAR rockets on its external pylons in conjunction with heavy bomb loads, the B-57B is best suited to taking out armoured targets or naval targets such as destroyers and cruisers.
As well as its ability to deliver massive offensive potential to targets at high speeds, it is also equipped with 8 wing-mounted 12.7 mm Browning M3 machine guns that hold a healthy 2,800 rounds of ammunition, allowing it to attack light targets with ease, but also provides air-to-air combat potential for pilots. However, these HMGs are fitted far on the outside of each wing making gun convergence a big issue. Another novel feature of the B model is its rotating bomb bay that can hold large stores of a variety of bombs to complement its wing-mounted payloads. With a maximum potential loadout of 8 x 1,000 lb bombs coupled with 8 x 127 mm HVAR rockets, the B-57B is one of the most versatile aircraft in-game at rank V.
By comparison to its contemporary jet attack-bombers of other nations, the IL-28, Arado 234 C-3, Canberra B (I) Mk 6 and R2Y2 series, the B-57B can carry the largest payload thanks to its external stores, making this the ideal choice for players who prefer more aggressive and direct attack roles in the skies.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good low altitude performance
- Great horizontal manoeuvrability
- Outruns pre-Korean War jets
- Good offensive armament of 8 x M3 Brownings
- Impressive and versatile payload
- Bomber airspawn (AB/RB)
Cons:
- Large target
- Slower than most enemy jets it faces
- Guns are mounted far apart; convergence is an issue
- Poor performance at altitude
- Bad energy retention; loses tons of speed in turns
- Poor roll rate
History
The Martin B-57B was a development of the licence-built version of the British Canberra B Mk 2, the B-57A. After its impressive performances at the Farnborough airshows in the early 1950s, the United States of America were keen to acquire the record setting jet bomber to fulfil the role of fast attacker similar to their current A-26 model. America had no suitable replacements for the Invader's position and experiences in Korea had proven the value of an Interdiction attacker.
As such, licence production of the Canberra was given by English Electric to Martin for the B-57A. Whilst the A model was essentially the same as the British variant, the B model had numerous improvements and changes over the A model that distinguishes it from the original Canberra design. Features such as a redesigned canopy that required 2 crew rather than 3, newer engines, improved wing strength coupled with pylons for large external stores, more effective airbrakes and the Martin's reduced drag rotary bomb bay from previous test aircraft were all included into the B model. As well as this, the B-57B also had offensive armament in the form of 8 Browning M3 machine guns with 4 in each wing, however, this was later updated to 4 x 20 mm M39 cannon.
All of this combined lead to the emergence of a highly effective interdiction aircraft that now differed greatly from its British counterpart to which it was based upon. Even with the rapid pace of jet aircraft development, the B-57B continued on in service thanks to its flexibility and versatility of combat roles. Numerous payloads options and configurations existed that allowed for a multitude of possible tasks including interdiction, reconnaissance or high altitude bombing. Whilst the primary models would retire in the late 1970s towards the early 1980s, highly modified variants still continue to serve in research and development roles for NASA even today.
Media
- Skins
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
- [Devblog] B-57B-2 and T-28E
- Official data sheet - more details about the performance
- [Vehicle Profile] B-57B Canberra [Decal Included]
| Glenn L. Martin Company | |
|---|---|
| Attackers | AM-1 |
| Bombers | B-10B · B-26B · PBM-1 · PBM-3 · PBM-5A |
| Jet bombers | B-57A* · B-57B* |
| Export | Martin 139WC · Martin 167-A3 · B-26C |
| * These aircraft were license-built from The English Electric Company Limited who developed and built the British English Electric Canberra. | |
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| Bombers | |
| B-57 | B-57A · B-57B |
